The Lighthouses Of Lake Winnebago

By Karen Lee Ensley

June 2015

Lighthouses are like the siren song; no one can resist their lure. They draw us in to see their magnificent architecture and then hold our imagination with their stories. But unlike the mythological Sirens who tempted sailors into peril, lighthouses protect and guide as beacons of safety calling us home.

Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin’s largest lake, features six unique lighthouses. The biggest town along the lake is Oshkosh, located on the western edge. The far southern edge of Lake Winnebago is slightly more than an hour’s drive from Madison, Wisconsin, where FMCA members will meet for the 92nd Family Reunion and Motorhome Showcase July 29-August 1. Lake Winnebago offers much to see and do, including a self-directed lighthouse tour. Each lighthouse has its own fascinating history.

Lake Winnebago covers 131,939 acres, yet it has a maximum depth of only 21 feet and an average depth of 15.5 feet. Although you might associate “Winnebago” with a recreation vehicle brand, the name also refers to an American Indian tribe and is derived from the Fox Indian word “Ouinipegouek,” meaning “people of the stinking water.” The odor was believed to refer to the algae-rich waters of the Fox River and Lake Winnebago, where the tribe originally lived.

When you drive around the lake, notice the colorful ice shanties alongside homes and barns, just waiting for winter fishing. In spring, the upstream portions of the lake offer some of the best walleye spawning areas in the world. In addition to excellent walleye fishing, the lake boasts jumbo perch, largemouth and smallmouth bass, muskie, northern pike, and catfish. The lake has about 40,000 lake sturgeon, which can grow to enormous sizes. You wouldn’t be exaggerating if you said you saw a 7-foot-long, 200-pound fish! If you like, bring along your fishing equipment and drop a line or two as you pause at the following lights.

Asylum Point has a history as interesting as its name. The original 30-foot-tall round stone tower was built by the Works Progress Administration in 1937. It showcases a lantern that was never electrified and has never been lit. Instead, a kerosene lantern guided fishermen as they returned to shore at night. The lighthouse wasn’t activated because the state rejected it as an aid to navigation.

The lighthouse was named after a nearby mental hospital that was built in 1871. Asylum Point Lighthouse is situated a few miles north of Oshkosh, on the western shore of Lake Winnebago. In the tranquil park surrounding the lighthouse, you may see a few anglers quietly casting their lines. In a nod to the popularity of fishing on Lake Winnebago, the top of the lighthouse boasts a weather vane shaped like a fish. The tower itself is not open, but you can enjoy the peaceful park as you walk across a short wooden bridge to reach the lighthouse. When you consider that the word “asylum” means a place of refuge or sanctuary, somehow the name seems perfect.

A few miles south of Asylum Point in Oshkosh is the next light, Bray, also known as Rockwell. You’ll need a boat to see it, however, and its grounds and tower are both on private property and closed to the public. Trees currently block views of the light from the road.

Wisconsin native George Andrews Rockwell drew up plans for the light, but it was built in 1909 by William Bray, a former Wisconsin state senator. He used his own funds after he was unable to convince the government of the need for the light at the point where the Fox River entered the lake. He paid the upkeep and kept the light on until the government agreed the light was needed because of increased shipping traffic. In 1917, it was the only government-licensed inland light. The ornate eight-sided light was once visited by President William Howard Taft.

At the southern tip of Lake Winnebago is the town of Fond du Lac, French for “bottom of the lake.” The picturesque, 40-foot-tall octagonal lighthouse also is known as Lakeside Park Lighthouse. Both the grounds and the tower at Fond du Lac are open to the public.

Lakeside Park offers a variety of recreational opportunities; you can park the motorhome and go for a stroll on the path along the lake, enjoy vibrant flower gardens, or take a nostalgic ride on a miniature train or antique carousel. Then, climb the 72-step winding wooden staircase inside the lighthouse, step onto the observation deck, and treat yourself to a fabulous view of Lake Winnebago. Walk around the deck, and you can watch boats leaving the marina and sailing past the lighthouse out onto the open water. Be sure to peer through the free telescope for a close-up look at the lake and surrounding landscape.

The Cape Cod-style lighthouse was built in 1933 during the Great Depression. The upper section uses frame construction, while the 10-foot-tall base is covered with flagstone. Plans were donated by architect Roger A. Sutherland. Lumberman W.J. Nuss offered to build the lighthouse, and he hired local laborers. Thus, the lighthouse symbolically brought a new light and life to the town.

From Fond du Lac, drive north around the lake’s eastern side to see Fisherman’s Road Light. In 2001, this round, hourglass-shaped steel tower was relocated about three miles from Columbia Park to the Fisherman’s Road Fishing Club, where it was restored and painted with the club’s logo. The light tower, which is closed to the public, marks the entrance to the club’s small marina and boat ramp. You can view the lighthouse directly from the parking lot, but why not park the RV and enjoy the short walk to the tower? Then take a close look at the small section of sandy beach near the launch, and you just might be rewarded by finding some exquisite miniature shells.

Next along the drive northward is a grand vista of Lake Winnebago and the surrounding rural Wisconsin landscape, courtesy of this 75-foot-tall light tower. The tower is completely open, and has open grate stairs. As visitors climb higher and higher, the view through the steps to the ground below challenges anyone with acrophobia. However, from the tower’s top level, you’ll be treated to a vast scene of shimmering water dotted with fishing boats, and perhaps a sailboat or two. Turn around and you’ll look across the tops of trees at a serene countryside with lush farmers’ fields and photogenic barns.

Originally built as a water tower for the Fond du Lac Table Factory, the structure was moved in 1936 to Calumet Harbor for use as an observation point and navigational aid. It marks the entrance from the lake to Pipe Creek.

This also marks a potential overnight stop on your tour around the lake, because the tower is surrounded by Columbia Park. In addition to lovely shaded picnic areas and a boat launch, it has a 40-site campground with electrical hookups, a dump station, rest rooms, and a playground. For more information, call the campground host at (920) 960-0187 or the parks department at (920) 929-3135. For online reservations, visit www.fdlcountyparks.com.

If you like to fish from a quiet waterfront park, then bring your rod and reel to Kimberly Point Park, located near the northern tip of the lake in the town of Neenah. Just be aware that herons like to fish here, too, and they swipe fish from anglers’ lines if they can.

The park is home to the beautiful Kimberly Point Lighthouse, sometimes called the Neenah Lighthouse. The land for the park was donated in 1929 by Helen Kimberly Stuart of Kimberly-Clark Corporation fame. Helen was the daughter of John A. Kimberly, one of the founders of the company.  James Cheney Kimberly, Helen’s brother, donated the funds for the lighthouse.

In 1945, the Flour Brothers Construction Company of Oshkosh built the 40-foot lighthouse using bricks, wood, and Haydite blocks. It serves to guide boaters into the Neenah Harbor at the mouth of the Fox River. In 1954, the lighthouse was raised to 49 feet to make the light more visible. It is listed on the state and national registers of historic places and topped by a weather vane in the shape of a graceful two-masted schooner. The tower is closed to the public, but its base contains public rest rooms.

When you visit Kimberly Point, plan to stay until dusk, because only then can you truly appreciate the lure of the lighthouse as its light shines brightly into the darkening sky. The warm and welcoming glow of the lighthouse is an iconic symbol of hope that leads travelers safely home.

Because this tour begins in Oshkosh, the campgrounds listed at the end of the EAA AirVenture Museum story that starts on page 80 may be of interest. In addition to those Oshkosh campgrounds, you may also wish to consider those that follow. Please note that this may not be a complete list, so check your campground directory or the RV Marketplace, published at FMCA.com and in the January and June issues of Family Motor Coaching.

N 4177 Cearns Lane

Fond du Lac, WI 54937

(920) 477-2300

Email: breezyhillcampground@gmail.com

N7630 State Park Road

Sherwood, WI 54169

(920) 989-1106

(888) 947-2757 Reservations

*All Wisconsin state parks charge a daily vehicle admission fee in addition to any camping fees.

N4475 Ledge Road

Chilton, WI 53014

(920) 439-1495

Email: lakeviewcampgroundwi@yahoo.com